The present application is related generally to the field of non-volatile memory and, more particularly, a method and apparatus that provides preloaded non-volatile memory content.
A non-volatile memory storage device such as, for example, a flash memory is generally produced in a memory manufacturing facility and is later shipped to a customer who incorporates the memory device into a storage product before selling the storage product to a wholesaler or end user. For quality assurance purposes, the memory device is typically subjected to some degree of testing by the manufacturer to ensure proper operation of the memory device. Memory devices that pass the testing can then be shipped to the customer for use in the memory product. Memory devices, as provided to customers of the manufacturer, can be in many different forms, such as a Thin Small-Outline Package (TSOP), or a Ball Grid Array (BGA) package and others. The customer can then incorporate the memory device into the memory product (for example, the customer can prepare the devices for the end user to use in the form of a USB flash drive, an SD or microSD card, a MMC or in another form).
The memory device can be manufactured in a wide variety of configurations with a wide range of different forms of external interface. Suitable forms of external interface include, by way of non-limiting example, USB, SD, MMC, ONFi, JTAG, I2C or others. Accordingly, the memory devices are typically tested at the manufacturing facility using the interface that is provided as part of the memory device. The testing can be performed, for example, using a dedicated test system that can be interfaced to a bank (e.g., a plurality) of the memory devices.
The memory test equipment generally includes a computer that has been customized for purposes of testing the memory of interest. In this regard, there have been approaches which favor testing non-volatile memory in other ways. In one of these approaches, the memory devices themselves are configured with self test capabilities, as opposed to using a dedicated external memory test system such that the memory test equipment at least manages the testing. Incorporation of self test capabilities can involve the inclusion of many additional electronic components such as, for example, processors, registers, buffers, and the like.
Customers of the manufacturer often receive such non-volatile memory devices from the manufacturer and proceed to load content onto the non-volatile memory that is dedicated for a particular end use of the memory product. Customers can also perform many desired levels of testing on the memory device, including verification of the content. One exception to customer testing is testing which yields a defect map. Defect maps typically can be generated by memory test equipment at the manufacturing facility which often simultaneously tests a plurality of the memory devices.
Once the non-volatile memory devices leave the manufacturer, it is generally left up to the customer of the manufacturer to load any desired content onto each non-volatile memory device based on an intended use of the memory device. This content can include program content and/or data content.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.